Lauri Markkanen Discussion Thread

TallDude · Post #1901 » by **TallDude** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:24 pm

Sorry guys but Bulls is not team who has worth to keep Lauri at bench in minor role. There are plenty of those teams but Bulls is not one of them. Even soft Lauri belong starting unit.

Post #1902 » by **dougthonus** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:57 pm

PaKii94 wrote:Lauri's rating playing without walking TO in Coby and broken WCJ before he was out with injury:
+17

Lauri's net rating after coby/WCJ got benched up to the trade deadline:
+15 (second best on the team)

Lauri after the trade deadline (without coby on the floor since they are yet again linked):
+7 (best on the team)

Lauri was NOT the problem. In fact they ended up marginalizing their 2nd and 3rd best player's with the trade.

Using non regressed on/off stats on a 10 game sample size is about the most meaningless statistic you could possibly mention. Non regressed +/- is near meaningless over any sample size and regressed +/- needs nearly a full season to have any predictive accuracy.

sco · Post #1903 » by **sco** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 3:13 pm

TallDude wrote:Sorry guys but Bulls is not team who has worth to keep Lauri at bench in minor role. There are plenty of those teams but Bulls is not one of them. Even soft Lauri belong starting unit.

I try to be fair to Lauri, and admit he has been playing efficiently and his defense has been near NBA average (which is a definite improvement). I think he has gone from maybe being around the 25th-30th best starting PF to somewhere in the 15th-20th this season. I agree with your point and the point from others that Lauri could be more effective with a team that would run more plays for him, like we've been doing with Vuc.

IMO, the Bulls are now wed to trying to build a winning line-up around Zach, Vuc and PWill for the rest of this season, and Lauri probably helps the team more in a bench role. There just aren't many shots to be had when Zach and Vuc are both shooting near 20 a game. The best adds to the starting line-up are guys who play defense and don't need 10 shots a game.

TSS · Post #1904 » by **TSS** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 3:23 pm

Lauris tenure with Bulls is definitely done. The offense they run now does not have any use for him and offense is what he mostly brings. He is useless to Bulls without any sort of usage and playing in this sort of scheme makes no sense for him.

As a Lauri follower I would be very eager to see Heat sign him. They run a really nicely flowing team offense and are currently starting Trevor Arizas corpse. Heat lack size and have strong defenders in Bam and Jimmy.

TallDude · Post #1905 » by **TallDude** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 3:24 pm

No idea how PWill have deserve his minutes. Lauri was at same age way better.

sami71 · Post #1906 » by **sami71** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 4:13 pm

TallDude wrote:No idea how PWill have deserve his minutes. Lauri was at same age way better.

Once Coby is eaten alive and driven out of town, it is his turn unless Williams turns it around in a dramatic fashion. His stat line against Minnesota was really something. Let's hope that the departure of WCJ and the imminent departure of Lauri mean a turning point for the Bulls and with Williams gone in a couple of years, that's all it wrote for the legacy of Garpax.

Wingy · Post #1907 » by **Wingy** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 7:11 pm

TSS wrote:Lauris tenure with Bulls is definitely done. The offense they run now does not have any use for him and offense is what he mostly brings. He is useless to Bulls without any sort of usage and playing in this sort of scheme makes no sense for him.

As a Lauri follower I would be very eager to see Heat sign him. They run a really nicely flowing team offense and are currently starting Trevor Arizas corpse. Heat lack size and have strong defenders in Bam and Jimmy.

With his injury history, I don't know as Lauri's body can hold up to the Heat's legendary conditioning program. Who knows...maybe it's chicken/egg. Maybe better conditioning under the Heat program would prevent, or reduce injuries for him.

FranchisePlayer · Post #1908 » by **FranchisePlayer** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 7:17 pm

E-DC wrote:Since the trade the best 5 man combination is TBJ, Zach, Lauri, Theis, and Coby. It's already a +45.9 in points (per 100 possessions).

That's interesting. You sure? Sounds odd to hear White being mentioned in any best 5 man combo. Jokes aside...

Has this bench combination been the best because these particular players play together or just because they've faced opponent's bench corps more than others (as in it could've been anyone)? What is the next best combo?

TSS · Post #1909 » by **TSS** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 7:19 pm

I'd be leaning more towards latter. His body has trouble sustaining hits, not so much taking on heavy work.
I assume here that heat program does not include beatings in the back alley.

FranchisePlayer · Post #1910 » by **FranchisePlayer** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 7:22 pm

E-DC wrote:
PaKii94 wrote:Lauri's rating playing without walking TO in Coby and broken WCJ before he was out with injury:
+17

Lauri's net rating after coby/WCJ got benched up to the trade deadline:
+15 (second best on the team)

Lauri after the trade deadline (without coby on the floor since they are yet again linked):
+7 (best on the team)

Lauri was NOT the problem. In fact they ended up marginalizing their 2nd and 3rd best player's with the trade.

I don't understand the thinking behind marginalizing Lauri. We get Vuc, Theis, and TBJ, and then decide we're not allowed to have nice things and proceed to shoot ourselves in the foot.

I don't get this either. And I don't get why so many people here endorse it since it's not getting the results everyone wants. Assuming winning now is the top priority.

If the management and some fans have another top priority, that's another thing.

Almost Retired · Post #1911 » by **Almost Retired** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 10:10 pm

I like the kid. I had high hopes for the kid, especially after a promising rookie season. But his game not only hasn't evolved, it has actually regressed. I don't know if the Boylen tenure screwed his mind up so badly that he's never recovered. Or whether fatherhood robbed him of the incredible work ethic that propelled him from rural Finland to the Arizona and then the NBA. But in a league where opponents would rather rip your heart out than exchange pleasantries he just doesn't have the fire to compete at the level his draft position indicated he was capable of. It's too bad. He'll probably go elsewhere and have a lot more success in a different system, with a different mix of players. Like Wendell has done so far. But he's had the chances to develop and grow and he hasn't done so. His defense and rebounding are subpar for his height. Perhaps if he was paired with a real rim running & rebounding machine at the "5" he'd be the stretch "4" we all thought he was going to be. If we could take Theis and Lauri and put them in a food processor and pour the mixture into two 6'-9" inch molds we'd have two really good PFs. He's not worth the money he's going to want. Even if he had no injury history. Combine his injury history with his failure to grow as a player and it's clear to me that a parting of the ways would be in the best interest of the team and Lauri himself.

ZOMG · Post #1912 » by **ZOMG** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 10:43 pm

The Bulls intentionally tanking Lauri's RFA value used to be a conspiracy theory.

With these recent games, it has become an obvious fact.

IMO, they won't succeed. Teams will see through it and the offers will be there. AK will have to face the consequences of his own actions and will probably lose Lauri for nothing.

Meanwhile, we keep taking L's, with Lauri now basically an 8th man.

Post #1913 » by **coldfish** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 11:07 pm

ZOMG wrote:The Bulls intentionally tanking Lauri's RFA value used to be a conspiracy theory.

With these recent games, it has become an obvious fact.

IMO, they won't succeed. Teams will see through it and the offers will be there. AK will have to face the consequences of his own actions and will probably lose Lauri for nothing.

Meanwhile, we keep taking L's, with Lauri now basically an 8th man.

Again, reports are that they tried to dump Lauri at the deadline for any first round pick and failed. After the trade deadline moves, AK was interviewed and talked about significant capspace which can only happen with no Lauri.

They likely aren't playing games and have already written Lauri off. They have likely already decided to lose him for nothing.

Leslie Forman · Post #1914 » by **Leslie Forman** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 11:11 pm

It's been four years and three different coaches now.

At this point, it's at the "Ben Simmons will start shooting threes anytime now" territory.

E-DC · Post #1915 » by **E-DC** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 11:13 pm

FranchisePlayer wrote:
E-DC wrote:Since the trade the best 5 man combination is TBJ, Zach, Lauri, Theis, and Coby. It's already a +45.9 in points (per 100 possessions).

That's interesting. You sure? Sounds odd to hear White being mentioned in any best 5 man combo. Jokes aside...

Has this bench combination been the best because these particular players play together or just because they've faced opponent's bench corps more than others (as in it could've been anyone)? What is the next best combo?

After last nights game the combination is now a +58.4 per 100 possessions. I just noticed this yesterday, so I don't know for sure how Coby's play fits into this. If I had to guess with Lavine and TBJ in there Coby is concentrating more on scoring within this rotation.
https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/2021/lineups/

Neonblazer · Post #1916 » by **Neonblazer** » Mon Apr 12, 2021 11:40 pm

E-DC wrote:
FranchisePlayer wrote:
E-DC wrote:Since the trade the best 5 man combination is TBJ, Zach, Lauri, Theis, and Coby. It's already a +45.9 in points (per 100 possessions).

That's interesting. You sure? Sounds odd to hear White being mentioned in any best 5 man combo. Jokes aside...

Has this bench combination been the best because these particular players play together or just because they've faced opponent's bench corps more than others (as in it could've been anyone)? What is the next best combo?

After last nights game the combination is now a +58.4 per 100 possessions. I just noticed this yesterday, so I don't know for sure how Coby's play fits into this. If I had to guess with Lavine and TBJ in there Coby is concentrating more on scoring within this rotation.
https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/2021/lineups/

I think its mainly because Theis and Brown hasn't had any significant minutes with other players, while playing together. And there is weird outliner in there with FT. For some reason that lineup has gotten to FT line way more than it should be getting. Lack of advanced statistics makes all this just guesses.

PaKii94 · Post #1917 » by **PaKii94** » Tue Apr 13, 2021 6:27 am

It's easy to tell Lauri's checked out. Probably taking it easy so he doesn't get injured again.

Also, it's probably an FU to the team. He's showing that his scoring was valuable to the team. It isn't easily replaceable production.

WindyCityBorn · Post #1918 » by **WindyCityBorn** » Tue Apr 13, 2021 6:52 am

PaKii94 wrote:It's easy to tell Lauri's checked out. Probably taking it easy so he doesn't get injured again.

Also, it's probably an FU to the team. He's showing that his scoring was valuable to the team. It isn't easily replaceable production.

Cool. Have fun cheering for whoever next season. It won’t be Miami. Maybe Sacramento.

TSS · Post #1919 » by **TSS** » Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:49 am

WindyCityBorn wrote:
PaKii94 wrote:It's easy to tell Lauri's checked out. Probably taking it easy so he doesn't get injured again.

Also, it's probably an FU to the team. He's showing that his scoring was valuable to the team. It isn't easily replaceable production.

Cool. Have fun cheering for whoever next season. It won’t be Miami. Maybe Sacramento.

Why not Heat? In my mind that is a perfect fit. Offensive fit is perfect, defensively they have Bam and Jimmy on as 5 and 3.
Is it a cap thing?
Apart from Heat, Charlotte or Blazers could be options.

MalagaBulls · Post #1920 » by **MalagaBulls** » Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:56 am

TSS wrote:
WindyCityBorn wrote:
PaKii94 wrote:It's easy to tell Lauri's checked out. Probably taking it easy so he doesn't get injured again.

Also, it's probably an FU to the team. He's showing that his scoring was valuable to the team. It isn't easily replaceable production.

Cool. Have fun cheering for whoever next season. It won’t be Miami. Maybe Sacramento.

Why not Heat? In my mind that is a perfect fit. Offensive fit is perfect, defensively they have Bam and Jimmy on as 5 and 3.
Is it a cap thing?
Apart from Heat, Charlotte or Blazers could be options.

Are you talking a sign & trade?